Ceiling structure



| E. WRIGHT 3,360,896

CEILING STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 2, 1968.

File d July 24, 19 64 I INVENTOR. LYLE E.\/\/|2|@H-r BY QBQAMZQOZJ x- 6mm 4 ATTOENEYS:

Jan. 2, 1968 E. WRIGHT CEILING STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Filed July 24, l964 INVENTOR.

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LY LE 3 2% w flmm A TTO E N EYS United States Patent 3,360,896 CEILING STRUCTURE Lyle E. Wright, 9019 Spring St., Lanham, Md. 20801 Filed July 24, 1964, Ser. No. 384,995 2 Claims. 01. 52-489) of furring and like procedures which are necessary in the installation of conventional ceilings.

Another objective of the invention is to supply novel end and side support means for a ceiling of the type described.

A further object is to provide a ceiling structure of decorative form and one which is relatively non-complex in installation and inexpensive to manufacture and install.

Additional objects and advantages will be noted in the following specification, when read in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a portion of ceiling structure, broken away for illustration of details of the mounting means, in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a foreshortened sectional view on enlarged scale relative to FIGURE 1, taken on the line 22 of that figure, and showing opposite side wall mounting means for the structure hereof;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view disclosing the bracket-hanger means hereof and a section of ceiling member in the process of being installed;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional view showing an intermediate stage in the installation procedure; and

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 disclosing stages in said procedure in full and dotted lines.

Referring to the drawing in more detail, FIGURES 1 and 2 disclose a suitable installation area such as a room 10 with opposite side walls 12 and 14, end wall 16, and an overhead structure such as spaced rafters 18 with lower side edges 20. The disclosed environment is delineated by way of example only, and for clarity of illustration, and other environments either with or without rafter means, side, or end walls, can be supplied with this structure without departure from the teachings of the invention.

In common with the invention disclosed in my prior application identified above, the present invention employs a plurality of substantially rectangular strips or ceiling members 22, each of which has a lower face 24, upper face 26, a first side edge 28, a second side edge 30, and unreferenced, flat end edges. As best seen in FIGURES 3 and 4, the second side edges 30 have an upper, inwardly stepped portion 32, for a purpose appearing below in detail. The first side 28 has an elongated, longitudinal slot 34 therein extending its full length.

Secured to the strips or members 22 and projecting from the side edges 30 are hanger clips 36 each of which extends the full length of the side edge, and comprises a horizontal plate 38 with an outwardly extending portion 40 and an inward portion 42 embedded in the member 22. The portion 42 has an enlargement 44 at its inward end provided for stability of the construction. Upstanding, vertical, side-by-side gripping elements extend upwardly from the plate 38 and include an inner element 46 hearing against the inwardly stepped wall 32 and extended upwardly thereabove, and an outwardly spaced element 48. Each of these gripping elements 46 and 48 have inner faces provided with inwardly projected tooth means, com-prising a series of projections 50, arranged in opposing pairs of triangular configuration viewed in transverse cross section (FIGURES 4 and 5), and including lower, horizontal base portion 52. Adjacent the plate 38, the interior walls or faces have straight sections 54 to define a lower chamber to accommodate the tooth means.

Secured to the lower edges 20 of the rafters 18 at spaced apart, selected locations approximating the width of the members 22 are a plurality of brackets 56. Each bracket 56 includes a top plate 58 secured as by nails 60 to the edges 20. Depending from each of the plates 58 in vertical alignment with the respective openings between the faces of the elements 46, 48, is a leg member 62 having on its opposite sides a plurality of teeth 64 arranged in pairs and having horizontal bases 66. The pairs of teeth 64 are inverted with respect to the teeth 50 of the elements 46, 48. As best seen in FIGURES 3-5, the leg members 62 are adapted to fit between the elements 46 and 48 and the respective teeth thereof engage one another, the respective bases 52 and 56 being interlocked as the elements 46 and 48 are moved upwardly. The elements 46 and 48 are somewhat resilient, and normally movement in an upward direction only is provided. In case of accidental movement to a depth greater than that desired, it is necessary that the elements 46 and 48 be pried apart manually to permit downward movement relative to the leg 62.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, means is disclosed for support of the ceiling structure at sides and ends thereof. At least one side and one end of the structure is engaged over elongated, substantially L-shaped bars 68 which include horizontal ledges 70 and upstanding legs 72 fixed by nails 74 along the wall 12 or 16. As best shown in FIGURE 2, a side or end portion of the ceiling member 22 is supported on the ledge 70, the opposite side of which is supported by engagement of the hanger clip 36 on the legs 62 of the brackets 56 secured in a first longitudinal row along the rafters 18. The next succeeding strip or member 22 is then engaged with the hanger clip 36 by placing the slot 34 thereof on the outward portion 40 of the plates 38. This manner of connection of the ceiling members 22 continues until a final member 22a is reached which, in most cases, must be cut as at 30a to form a straight side edge. As seen in FIGURE 2, a row of the brackets 58 is secured adjacent the wall 14 (opposite the wall having the bar 68) with the legs 62 arranged at a selected distance from the wall. A modified hanger 72, comprising an elongated plate 74 extending the full length of the wall serves to connect terminally applied ends and sides of the ceiling construction in place at selected heights. As seen in FIGURE 2, once again, the hanger 72 includes an upstanding clip 78 with the teeth 80 having horizontal bases 82 adapted to coact with the teeth of the legs 62 in the final row of brackets in the manner that the hanger clips 36 engage the remaining leg 62.

In an installation according to this invention, a height or level of the ceiling is selected and the ledges 70 at one side and one end are secured at such height. Thereafter, the strips 22 are separately applied in the manner described above, the clips 36 and terminal clip 72 being forced upwardly on the legs 62 to such a depth as to locate the remaining members 22 at said selected height, with the lower faces 24 thereof coplanar. As will occur to those skilled in the art, in those instances wherein the height of the member to which the brackets 56 are applied varies, the mechanic simply Selects various depths of insertion of the brackets 36 and 72 such that the ceiling height is correctly set.

Having described and illustrated the invention in some detail, it will be understood that the description and illustration herein supplied are offered merely by way of example, and that the invention is to be limited in scope only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A height adjustment hanger bracket system for use in an interior ceiling construction mounted in an enclosure having an overhead support system including spaced, horizontal elements, comprising:

a plurality of elongated ceiling strips with adjacent first and second side edges on all but the outermost pair thereof;

the second side edges of the strips being stepped whereby each has an upper, inwardly indented portion of given inward depth;

elongated hanger clips fixedly secured to the second side edge of each strip and extending substantially the full length of the strip;

each clip including a horizontal plate with an outwardly extending portion and an inward portion embedded in the strip;

substantially vertical, spaced apart gripping elements projecting from the plates and having a combined width dimensioned to substantially equal the given inward depth of the indented portion of the second side edges;

the gripping elements having a plurality of inward, facing projections thereon, in pairs, each projection having an angular face and a substantially horizontal base portion;

a plurality of brackets secured to the spaced, horizontal elements of the overhead support;

each bracket having a substantially vertically arranged leg member, with opposite sides depending therefrom;

a plurality of teeth on the sides of the leg members, the teeth having angular faces arranged oppositely with respect to the angular faces of the projection of the gripping elements of the clips, and having horizontal bracket bases; and

the first side edges of the strips having continuous longitudinal slots formed therein receiving the outwardly extended portion of the adjacent clip, and the clips being interengaged with the brackets with the clip gripping elements embracing the legs of the brackets in alignment therewith and the respective bases in contact at the selective height for each.

2. A height adjustment hanger bracket system for use in interior ceiling construction mounted in an enclosure having an overhead support system and having side and end walls, the overhead support system including a plurality of spaced, horizontal elements, comprising:

a plurality of elongated ceiling strips with adjacent first and second side edges on all but the outermost pair thereof, and with ends;

the second side edges of the strips being stepped whereby each has an upper, inwardly indented portion of given inward depth;

terminal support means for the side edges of the outermost pair of strips and terminal support means for the end of the strips;

elongated hanger clips fixedly secured to the second side edge of each strip and extending substantially the full length of the strip;

each clip including a horizontal plate with an outwardly extending portion and an inward portion imbedded in the strip;

substantially vertical, spaced apart gripping elements projecting from the plates and having a combined width dimensioned to substantially equal the given inward depth of the indented portion of the second side edges;

the gripping elements having a plurality of inward, facing projections thereon, in pairs, each projection having an angular face and a substantially horizontal base portion;

a plurality of brackets secured to the spaced, horizontal elements of the overhead support;

each bracket having a substantially vertically arranged leg member, with opposite sides depending therefrom;

a plurality of teeth on the sides of the leg members, the teeth having angular faces arranged oppositely with respect to the angular faces of the rojection of the gripping elements of the clips, and having horizontal bracket bases; and

the first side edges of the strips having continuous longitudinal slots formed therein receiving the outwardly extended portion of the adjacent clip, and the clips being interengaged with the brackets with the clip gripping elements embracing the legs of the brackets in alignment therewith and the respective bases in contact at the selective height for each.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,066,205 12/1936 Keating 52489 2,389,171 11/1945 Urbain 52-484 2,998,112 8/1961 Burgin 52-489 X 3,251,164 5/1966 Wright 52283 3,263,388 8/1966 Bogert 52-665 FOREIGN PATENTS 202,340 1956 Australia.

55 JOHN E. MURTAGH, Primary Examiner. 

2. A HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT HANGER BRACKET SYSTEM FOR USE IN INTERIOR CEILING CONSTRUCTION MOUNTED IN AN ENCLOSURE HAVING AN OVERHEAD SUPPORT SYSTEM AND HAVING SIDE AND END WALLS, THE OVERHEAD SUPPORT SYSTEM INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SPACED, HORIZONTAL ELEMENTS, COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED CEILING STRIPS WITH ADJACENT FIRST AND SECOND SIDE EDGES ON ALL BUT THE OUTERMOST PAIR THEREOF, AND WITH ENDS; THE SECOND SIDE EDGES OF THE STRIPS BEING STEPPED WHEREBY EACH HAS AN UPPER, INWARDLY INDENTED PORTION OF GIVEN INWARD DEPTH; TERMINAL SUPPORT MEANS FOR THE SIDE EDGES OF THE OUTERMOST PAIR OF STRIPS AND TERMINAL SUPPORT MEANS FOR THE END OF THE STRIPS; ELONGATED HANGER CLIPS FIXEDLY SECURED TO THE SECOND SIDE EDGE OF EACH STRIP AND EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE FULL LENGTH OF THE STRIP; EACH CLIP INCLUDING A HORIZONTAL PLATE WITH AN OUTWARDLY EXTENDING PORTION AND AN INWARD PORTION IMBEDDED IN THE STRIP; SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL, SPACED APART GRIPPING ELEMENTS PROJECTING FROM THE PLATES AND HAVING A COMBINED WIDTH DIMENSIONED TO SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL THE GIVEN INWARD DEPTH OF THE INDENTED PORTION OF THE SECOND SIDE EDGES; THE GRIPPING ELEMENTS HAVING A PLURALITY OF INWARD, FACING PROJECTIONS THEREON, IN PAIRS EACH PROJECTION HAVING AN ANGULAR FACE AND A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL BASE PORTION; A PLURALITY OF BRACKETS SECURED TO THE SPACED, HORIZONTAL ELEMENTS OF THE OVERHEAD SUPPORT; EACH BRACKET HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY ARRANGED LEG MEMBER, WITH OPPOSITE SIDES DEPENDING THEREFROM; A PLURALITY OF TEETH ON THE SIDES OF THE LEG MEMBERS, THE TEETH HAVING ANGULAR FACES ARRANGED OPPOSITELY WITH RESPECT TO THE ANGULAR FACES OF THE PROJECTION OF THE GRIPPING ELEMENTS OF THE CLIPS, AND HAVING HORIZONTAL BRACKET BASES; AND THE FIRST SIDE EDGES OF THE STRIPS HAVING CONTINUOUS LONGITUDINAL SLOTS FORMED THEREIN RECEIVING THE OUTWARDLY EXTENDED PORTION OF THE ADJACENT CLIP, AND THE CLIPS BEING INTERENGAGED WITH THE BRACKETS WITH THE CLIP IN ALIGNMENT THEREWITH AND THE RESPECTIVE BASES IN CONTACT AT THE SELECTIVE HEIGHT FOR EACH. 